The MMinE‐SWEEPER project officially launched with a kick-off meeting on 13 and 14 November 2024 at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel. It brought together 43 participants from 20 partner organisations across nine European countries. This marked the start of an ambitious initiative, funded by the European Commission through Horizon Europe with €5.9 million, which will run for 42 months, and aims to tackle the challenges posed by sea-dumped munitions in European waters.
The two-day meeting began with a welcome address by the project coordinator, Prof. Dr Jens Greinert, and a round of introductions to foster connections among participants. A key highlight was a session featuring representatives from the Directorate‐General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) and the Directorate‐General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME). In this session, the aims of MMinE‐SWEEPER were highlighted, along with the importance of enhancing collaboration with other related research efforts across Europe. To support this, MUNIRISK, a recently funded project under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) focusing on the risk assessment of sea-dumped munitions in the Baltic Sea, was also invited to present its goals and foster the discussion (more information here).
Leaders of the 14 work packages shared insights into their respective tasks, which span areas such as automated munition detection, monitoring chemical contamination in the marine environment, and modelling the burial and spread of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Other work packages are dedicated to secure data exchange, legal and technical assessments, training, and outreach efforts aimed at ensuring widespread impact and engagement. Breakout sessions for the work packages allowed participants to explore these areas in more detail, setting the stage for collaboration and further planning. The meeting also included a security update from the Project Security Officer, ensuring that safety and compliance remain at the forefront of the initiative. The event concluded in a General Assembly where members of the Executive Board were elected. By the end, participants had not only established a clear roadmap for the project but also strengthened ties across the consortium, setting the stage for impactful collaboration in the years ahead.
